(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an objective for video disks and, more particularly, to an objective for reading out the signals recorded on high-density information-recording disks (video disks).
(b) Description of the Prior Art
For objectives to be used in reproducing systems for video disks, it is required to warrant resolving power of 1.mu. due to the fact that the objective has to read out very small signals recorded with high density. Moreover, the information read out from the disk, which rotates at high speed, contains signals for making the objective follow up the recorded track and signals for automatic focusing in addition to image information. To make the objective read out those information and signals correctly, the flatness of image focused by the objective should be high. To prevent breakage of the video disk and objective which will be caused when the objective contacts the video disk, the working distance of the objective should be long. Besides, to perform automatic focusing, the objective should be compact and light in weight. Moreover, the price of the objective should be low.
As the light used for the objective for video disks is generally a monochromatic light (.lambda.=6328 A), it is effective for eliminating the noise at the time of amplifying the signals from a detector when transparency for the light of this wavelength is as high as possible. Therefore, to make transparency high, it is necessary to provide multi-layer anti-reflection coating on the lens surface or to make the number of lenses constituting the objective as small as possible. When this problem is considered in connection with the above-mentioned other requirements such as low price and light weight, it is more advantageous when the number of lenses constituting the objective is made as small as possible.
Some of known reproducing objectives for video disks are designed by taking the above-mentioned points into consideration. Generally, however, most of such objectives are arranged by modifying microscope objectives. An example of such objectives for video disks is the objective according to Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 124660/75. In case of the above-mentioned objective, a hemispherical lens is used as the first lens component and a cemented doublet is used as the third lens component. Therefore, the weight of the objective cannot be made light enough and working distance is comparatively small. Moreover, the above-mentioned objective is not advantageous for cost reduction because of the shape of the hemispherical lens is not suitable for mass production and the third lens component has a cemented surface.